[cruikshank] FROM ISLE AUX NOIX TO CHATEAUGUAY 33 



singular experiment. All the people who were during the late Sir 

 James Craig's administration dismissed by him from their situations 

 as militia officers or justices of the peace or were at different times 

 confined by a warrant from a Committee of the Executive Council under 

 a suspicion of treasonable practices, are reinstated in their former 

 situations with new honours and places of trust and responsibility and 

 profit conferred on them, the best he could give. How this will 

 answer, time will show." 1 



It soon became apparent that the session would not be allowed to 

 pass without some display of bitter partisan feeling. James Stuart, 

 who had been dismissed by Sir James Craig from the post of Solicitor 

 General, assumed the position of leader of the opposition and distin- 

 guished himself by rancorous criticism. He first moved for the 

 appointment of a committee to enquire into the causes and injurious 

 consequences that might have resulted from the delay in publication 

 of the acts of the provincial legislature passed at the February session 

 of 1812. The evident intention of this enquiry was to extenuate the 

 conduct of the Lachine rioters and to discredit and embarrass the govern- 

 ment. The clerk and other officers of the Legislative Council were 

 summoned to appear as witnesses before the Committee to which the 

 Council at first refused their consent as they had not been previously 

 consulted, but subsequently reconsidered their action and gave permis- 

 sion for the appearance of their officers under protest as they desired to 

 abstain from raising any question that might delay the consideration 

 of the necessary measures for the defence of the province. This 

 investigation had no result of any consequence. Stuart next moved 

 for an enquiry into the power and authority exercised by the Courts of 

 Law under the title of Rules of Practice ; but the committee appointed 

 made little progress before prorogation. Some important amendments 

 to the militia acts which were adopted by the Assembly, were rejected 

 by the Legislative Council and the whole measure failed to become law 

 in consequence. The Army Bill Act was renewed and extended to 

 legalize the circulation of notes to a total amount of half a million of 

 pounds and a board of commissioners was appointed with authority 

 to fix the current rate of exchange at regular intervals. Twenty-five 

 thousand pounds were voted towards defraying the expenses of the war, 

 fifteen thousand pounds for the equipment of the embodied militia, 

 one thousand pounds for militia hospitals and four hundred pounds to 

 improve the communication with Upper Canada. A duty of two and 

 one half per cent was imposed upon all articles of merchandise, except 

 provisions, imported into the province and a special duty of five per 

 cent upon all merchandise imported by persons who had resided 



1 John Blackwood to Todhunter, Wyndham & Co., Montreal, Oct. 17, 1812. 

 Sec. I and II, 1914—3 



